


Natsume's book of swords

by AnekoGia



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends, 刀剣乱舞 | Touken Ranbu
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Major Character(s), Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:41:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25301047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnekoGia/pseuds/AnekoGia
Summary: Walking back from school, Natsume meets a group of unlikely kids, which eventually leads him to discover an unlikely world, and meet unlikely new friends far beyond the ones he live with.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 64





	1. Something/Someone New

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, this is Aneko back with a new story. And surprise, it's a crossover. I recently finished Natsume Yuujinchou and loved it. I got this inspiration after seeing a fan comic in Tumblr of Natsume and Katsugeki!Saniwa, but the Saniwa in this story will be my own Saniwa OC.
> 
> This will be just a compilation of 12 different one-shots with a bit of a story connecting story behind them, so I hope you would enjoy it.

Natsume Takashi yawned loudly as he walk down the path with his friends, Kitamoto and Nishimura, after a long day of school.

"hm, did you not sleep well last night, Natsume?" Nishimura asked, turning to him.

He nodded back in reply, holding his back closely. "Yeah..." _I couldn't tell them I have been return names to Yokai._

"eh Houchou, stop!" Natsume blinked when he heard a child's voice yell.

Turning to the bridge, he notice three children, each with odd hair colours, running down it, one even faster than the others. There has been an increase in people moving into town lately, but he has never seen them before.

_Could they be..._ Before Natsume could finish, the fastest child collided into him, causing both of them to fall into the ground.

"ow..." He winced painfully before staring at the child, who was lying on top of him.

"oi...are you alright, Natsume?" Kitamoto as he and Nishimura ran to his side.

"Gees, the kid came out of nowhere." His friend added.

Natsume's eyes widened, turning to the brown haired boy, who was now getting off of him. _They could see him? That means they are human. But..._ _why do I feel something is off._

"Are you alright?" The two other children stopped, helping to pull them up.

The kid nodded to them embarrassing before turning to the teen. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."

Natsume smiled kindly, shaking his hands. "Oh, it's no worry. It was accident."

"Gees kid, you can run on the side of the road like that, it's dangerous." Nishimura scolded, acting like a responsible teenage.

The long haired girl scratched the back of her head. "Sorry, my brother here was just a little excited."

The boy with odd pink haired then nodded. "He found a pamphlet for Nanatsuji's strawberry mochi and wanted to get some, but we couldn't find it."

"I see." Natsume giggled. "Well sorry to tell you this, but your heading the wrong direction."

"eh?" The brown haired boy whined in sadness, tears seemingly streaming out from his eyes. "I have been going the wrong way?"

The three friends stared awkwardly at the children as the two tried to comfort their brother, who kept whining at the loss of his treats.

"uh, if it's fine, I could take you there if you want." Natsume unconsciously offered.

The crying stopped and the brown haired boy was no hugging his hips tightly. "Really, you'll do that, Nii-san."

The teen sweatdropped. "uh, sure." _Also, I have to sure they aren't really Yokai_

"Well, that is Natsume for sure." Nishimura laughed.

"Always there to help." Kitamoto agreed, his hand in a thumbs up.

"Sorry, I guess." Natsume scratched the back of his head. "You guys go one without me, okay."

His friends nodded before saying their goodbyes, waving as they disappeared down the road. He the urned back to the three children. "Sorry, I don't think I got your names."

"oh, my name is Midare." The long haired child introduced.

"I'm Akita." The pink haired boy said. "The one holding you is our brother."

"I'm Houchou!" The brown haired boy said cheerfully.

"I am Natsume Takashi." Natsume introduced himself. "So, follow me."

As they walked down the road, the teen kept his eyes on the three siblings, who were playing around as they followed him. _They are siblings, yet they don't resemblance each other._ He thought. _But they certainly act like family._

Natsume was a single child, his parents died when he was young and he has been passed around every family member since then. He never had a real familia bond with any of them, mostly because they shunt him of, or vice versa. He has long for that feeling and has since gained it through the Fujiwara couple, who took him in when no one wanted to. However, he still feels jealous at those with siblings.

Continuing down the path, Natsume realized something strange. Interestingly, there are no Yokai chasing after him. Normally, Yokai of all kinds were brave enough to came attack him in front of other people. However, he has not seen a single one since he was with them, and that worried him a little.

"ne, Natsume-san." Midare walked next to him. "How long have you lived here?"

"oh, for almost a year now. I moved in with one of my relatives." Natsume replied, a little stunt by the question. "What about you? I haven't seen any of you before."

"We just came a week ago." The girl replied. "We're unfamiliar with this town, so I thought it was a good time to go sightseeing, since it's our free day."

_Free day, but today is a school day._ He thought, puzzle by the strange reply. "So, how do you think of it so far?"

Midare smiled. "It's nice. It's pretty similar to the places we've stayed, but the people are friendly, and the sights are amazing."

_Stayed_ _?_ "So, you and your family move around a lot?"

"Well..you could say that." Akita said. However, it felt like he was holding back something. "We have move around every few months due to reasons."

_Must be nice._ Natsume thought, recalling the times he moves from relative to relative. _Remaining as a family despite moving so many times._

"ne, Natsume-niisan, are we there yet." Houchou tugged on his arm, earning a small smile from the teen.

"We're almost there." Natsume assured him.

True to his words, not long later, they have arrived to the tiny shop by the side of the road.

Houchou immediately made a beeline to the wonderful display, leaning his entire face against the casing as he stared the delectable treats available at the shop. "Looks yummy." He drooled, eyes sparkling with excitement.

Natsume stiffened out a laugh as Midare and Akita smiled. "Well, that is Houchou for you, there is only two things in the world that he loves." He heard his sister comment.

"oh, what is the other thing?" He asked curiously.

"Married women." The two replied unsurprisingly.

Natsume mouth widened, stunt by the reply and even more stunt by the way they said it. _Seriously..._ However, he could help but laugh at how well the siblings know each other.

Houchou soon called them over to pick the treats, leaving Natsume to watch them from a distance.

"oh, Natsume." He turned immediately when he heard a familiar voice call him.

"Tanuma." The teen greeted his friend with a smile. "What brings you here."

"Thought of getting some manju for dad and myself." He explained, stopping next to him. "You?"

"oh, a group of kids got lost trying to find the shop, so I offered to help them." Natsume said, both shifting their gaze to the siblings.

Tanuma blinked, recognizing the Midare. "hm, you know them, Tanuma?" His friend asked.

"oh yeah, the girl." He replied. "About three days ago, I saw her with a group of other children. I was taking a stroll around the base of the area then. I didn't think too much about it until I saw them disappear instantly after climbing upthe hill."

Natsume blinked, surprised by the stunning revelation. _Disappear_ _... but, they are clearly human...I do feel there is something quite if with them._ _Also, there is more of them?_

"Natsume-san."

He flinched a little when he heard his name being called as the siblings walked towards him with bags of boxes. "Woah, that a lot you bought."

"Yeah, we may have gone overboard." Midare confessed. "But, it is enough for everyone."

"Let just hope Ichi-nii and Hasebe-san wouldn't scold us." Akita added, thinking about the amount they just spent. "oh, who is this?" He asked, noticing the new comer.

"This is my friend, Tanuma Kaname." Natsume introduced him, with Tanuma waving to the kids.

"Thank you for showing the way." Houchou thanked him, looking perfectly contented.

Natsume smiled. "It's no problem. Do you need help with carrying them."

"oh...It's no issue at all." Midare shook her head, sounding hesitant.

She then took out one of the boxes if strawberry mochi and pass it to the teen. "This is for you. Consider this a token of our appreciation."

Natsume hesitated, flustered by the generous gesture. "Oh, I can't..."

"I insist." She offered with a sweet smile. "I'm sure your family will love them."

Natsume, not knowing how he should react, turned to Tanuma, who simply shrug his shoulders. After a moment, he took the box from Midare. "Thank you."

The three siblings smiled and bowed to Natsume before waving goodbye to him, walking down the same road they were earlier. 

The light haired teen sighed and smiles as he lowered his hand. It felt nice to interact with people normally, without having them think he's weird. Comforting almost.

"So, what do you think?" Tanuma asked, whispering to Natsume.

"oh, they seem that normal people." He said. "Though I must admit, I'm not that sure."

"I don't know about you, but I sense a strange aura around them." Tanuma confessed. "Maybe they are Yokai in disguise."

Natsume thought for a moment, unsure what to say next. "I still don't know. I would have to ask Nyanko-sensei when I return."

His friend nodded in agreement.

* * *

"Ah, those mochi where delicious." Nyanko-sensei said drunkenly, lying down comfortably in his pillow as Natsume did his homework.

As he wrote, Natsume's mind went back to what happened earlier. He cannot stop thinking about those children he encountered. Were they human or Yokai.

"Hey, Sensei." He turned to the cat. "I have a question."

"oh, what is it?" Nyanko-sensei turned to him excitedly, finally after all this time.

"Is there a supernatural being that can have a human's body, acts human, but still...not feel human?"

"eh, what is that supposed to mean. Your talking in circles." The cat commented, sluring his words as he lied on his back.

"I don't know, that's the best explanation I can give." Natsume defended, a little irritated.

Nyanko-sensei sat up and thought carefully about what he said. "Well, there are plenty of beings like that, but there is only one that takes the top place."

Dropping everything, Natsume leaned towards his bodyguard. "Really what?"

Nyanko-sensei burped, his alcohol-reeked breath spraying at the teen's face. However, Natsume did not bother to feel irritated by him.

"Tsukumogami." He finally said.

"Tsukumogami?" Natsume repeated.

"They are objects that have acquired a spirit." Nyanko-sensei explained. "If they take in enough spiritual energy, they are able to take human forms. They are a rare form of being, neither human nor Yokai."

Natsume sat up as he thoughts ran through his mind. _Those kids...are they actually be this Tsukumogami?_

"Eh, what's wrong, Natsume. You look pale." The cat said.

However, the teen shook his head, returning to his desk to close his books. "It's nothing." He assured him, taking out his futon from the closet and laying it onto the floor properly.

Finally, he tucked himself to bed, closing his eyes, Midare's words rung through his mind repeatedly.

_'_ **_I'm sure your family will love them.'_ **

Natsume smiled, recalling how happy Touko and Shigeru was when he came back with the box of mochi.

_'Hm, they did love them.'_

* * *

"Delicious." The Saniwa licked her lips after taking a bit of mochi before turning to the Toushirou _tantou_. "Thank you for buying it for everyone in the citadel."

Midare and his brothers smiled with pride. "It's no problem."

"Normally I'll be against spending too much." Hasebe added, grabbing a piece of mochi from the box. "Though this time, I'll let it slide."

"haha, Hasebe- _dono_ , your as uptight as usual." Mikazuki laughed, drinking his tea along the _engawa_ before being met with protests from the said _uchigatana_.

The Saniwa smiled as she watched the _Touken Danshi_ interact with each other. It has been at least two years since she started this journey of being a Saniwa sage and she cherished each moment she spent with her extended family.

"Oh, yeah, we wouldn't have found the shop if it weren't for someone helping us." Everyone present blinked and turned to face the three Toushirou siblings after she heard what Akita said.

"You three met someone?" Ichigo asked carefully, remembering he told them earlier to keep interactions with the locals to a minimum to prevent any suspicions.

Houchou nodded, mouth full of mochi. "A nice handsome teen boy offered to bring us to the shop after we got lost." His voice muffled.

"I see." The Saniwa smiled, pouring a cup of tea for herself. "What's his name?"

"Hm, Natsume Takashi."

Upon hearing the name, the Saniwa chocked on her tea, unwittingly spitting it out. Luckily, no one was in front of her. Hasebe immediately went to his mistress's side and pat her back as she coughed. "Aruji-sama, you shouldn't drink your tea so quickly."

"Sorry." She apologized, removing her hand from her mouth. She then faced the siblings again. "I see... that's an interesting name."

From under the table, Konnosuke crawled out, licking the crumbs around his mouth. He quickly recognized how uncomfortable the Saniwa became when the name was mentioned. "Saniwa-sama, we still have a report to complete." He reminded her, climbing onto her shoulder. "We should go now."

The Saniwa nodded, standing up. "I should go now. Make sure you go to bed earlier, okay. I might dispatch you tomorrow." She said, mostly directed to the tantou.

"Hai!" They replied cheerfully.

Their master smiled and made her way out of the room, though a little hastily. "That was weird." Kashuu whispered, turning back to his comrades.

"Do you think Aruji-sama knows that person?" Ichigo added.

"That's impossible." Hasebe cut in. "Aruji-sama is from 2205. We're currently far from that time. If she knew that person, it would only be by name."

Outside the room, Mikazuki watched his master carefully from the edge of the cup, hiding a small smile. _Something tells me things are getting interesting._

Away from the rowdiness, the Saniwa bit her lips nervously. "Are you okay, Saniwa-sama?" Konnosuke asked, looking at her with concern.

The young woman shook her head and rubbed the fox's head firmly and reassuringly. "I'm fine." She smiled solemnly.

"Just that it's been a while since I heard the name 'Natsume'."


	2. The book of swords

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natsume receives a book about historical Japanese swords and dreams about the past. He also meets two other strangers who unknowingly helps him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, so I'm back with another chapter. I may not update as frequently as you may think, but I do have the third chapter planned out, so do stay tune for it in a week or 2. Hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you. 
> 
> P.s most of the information I got of the swords will come from the Touken Ranbu wiki so sorry if there is any inaccuracy.

_"Sensei, Natsume is lying again."_

_"Stop lying! No one believes you."_

_"Liar."_

_Natsume sobbed uncontrollably as he sat on a swing at a nearby playground. Today, a headless woman scared him in his school's bathroom, causing him to wet in his pants. He told everyone what happened but yet again, no one believed him. No even his guardians. He hated being the only one to deal with such supernatural creatures._

_"Hey, are you okay?"_

_The young boy looked up and notice a young woman, neatly dressed in office wear with long black hair, squatting in front of him. Natsume got startled a bit, but immediately calmed down when he noticed she was human._

_"Sorry, I didn't mean to scared you." She smiled. "Did the other kids bully you?"_ _Natsume bit his lips, unsure how to reply._

_"...Or is it something else?"_

_He immediately perked up. He saw her looking directly at a Yokai hiding behind a bush. Once spotted, it ran away. S_ he see them too?

 _Turning back to him, the woman placed a comforting hand on his head, rubbing it firmly._ _"Don't worry, I would protect you." She said in a gentle tone, causing Natsume's heart to flutter a bit._

_"You can call me Kusa. What's your name?"_

_I'm..."_

"Natsume!"

The teen boy shoot up in shock when his name was called. He looked around a realized he was in class. All his classmates were staring at him, laughing uncontrollably.

"I know this is the last class, but I'll appreciate it if you don't fall asleep." He teacher said sternly.

"Sorry..." Natsume apologized, scratched the back of his head.

Right then, the school bell rang. After reminding the class about their homework assignments, the class quickly packed their bags.

"I think I have lost count how many times you were caught sleeping in class, Natsume." Nishimura giggled, leaning against his table from behind.

Natsume turned around and simply smiled. "I had to complete some my homework so I stayed up pretty late last night." He explained, a little embarrassed. However, he was used to it.

"Though I have to say, this is the first time you didn't jump up on your own." His friend realized before smiling slyly. "Were you have a nice dream?"

"eh, Don't be ridiculous." He smiled, wearing his coat.

"Natsume isn't into that kind of stuff, unlike you." Sasada added, walking towards the two boys.

Turning towards her, Natsume notice their class rep holding a black-covered book her arms. It was thinner than most book he has seen her reading, but the title of the book caught his attention.

 _'_ _Swords of Japan'_ He read in his mind. "Class rep, what is that book your holding?" He asked, pointing at it.

"oh, this..." Sasada lift it up for the two boys to see. "I bought it after visiting the Fukaoka Museum a while back."

Nishimura laughed. "What's so interesting about swords, anyway? There just weapons."

"It's more than just that." She defended, passing the book to Natsume. "There is so much history behind those swords. More than you could imagine. Where they come from. Who owned them. It's way more interesting than many think."

Without thinking, the light-haired boy started flipping through the pages. Sasada was right, there is a lot of information about Japan's historical weapons. However, he came to a stop when he noticed a familiar name in it.

"Akita Toushirou." He read out softly. _What a coincidence. That little boy I meet was also named Akita_.

Then, he turned to the following pages, and stopped again. _Midare...that is also the name of the girl._

Natsume then flipped to another page, and was stunned. _Houchou... that's the name of the sweets-loving kid._

"Oh Natsume, what's wrong?" Nishimura asked.

The teen blinked and closed the book, turning to his friend. "It's nothing." He then turned to the class rep. "Is it okay if I borrow this book for a while?"

Sasada smiled. "Sure. In fact, you can keep it."

The boys looked at her with their eyebrows risen. "I kind of bought two copies of the book, just in case I lost one." She admitted embarrassingly.

Natsume giggled and smiled softly. "Thank you."

* * *

"Akita Toushirou...name after Akita Sanesue, a samurai who served under Toyotomi Hideyoshi." Natsume read out as he walked down the path back home.

His mind went back to two nights ago, when Nyanko-sensei told him about Tsukumogami. He really want to believe those kids were human, but all these are too good to be a pure coincidence.

"Natsume Reiko..."

Natsume froze when that all too familiar name was called. He turned around, head going to everyone direction. Then, he saw a top a nearby tree, sat a large crow-like Yokai with multiple eyes and a day's tail.

Before it could fly towards him, Natsume ran as fast as he could.

"Give me the Book of Friends!" She screeched, flying after him.

 _Great, why now!_ He cursed in his mind. He ran into the forest area, remembering there is a shrine nearby.

Avoiding the surrounding trees, Natsume took a peak behind, but the Yokai was still chasing after him. Just when he spotted the shrine, she screeched loudly towards the sky.

Turning back, Natsume found himself being surrounding by two other Yokai of the same kind, preventing him from reaching the shrine.

With no other options, the teen slide down towards the shrine's steps, avoiding the Yokai.

"Gives us the Book of Friends!" They screeched in unison, flying closer towards him

Though running out of breath, Natsume continue running until he made to the housing area. Spotting a sharp turn, he made his way towards it but found himself hitting something hard, causing him to fall back.

"Oh, sorry, are you okay?" Natsume heard an enthusiastic sounding voice ask him.

As his visioned steadied, the teen notice a older man with messy brown hair standing in front of him, holding his hand out for him. Next to him stood a man with a smaller build than him and blond hair, his jacket's hood pulled over him. "uh..yeah, I'm fine. Sorry." He replied, taking the hand.

Natsume gasped slightly as he felt himself being effortlessly pulled up onto his feet. After patting his coat down, he turned around and realize the Yokai were gone.

"Why are you running? Was someone chasing after you?" The large man asked.

"oh uh, it's nothing." Natsume assured him.

"I see." He smiled. "I'm sorry, I hope I didn't startle you."

He shook his head. "No, it's fine. I was my fault to begin with. Please excuse me." Not wanting to make them feel uncomfortable, Natsume bowed to the men and started walking away swiftly.

"Wait." He turned around and notice the larger man holding up the book he was reading. "You dropped your book."

Natsume gasped and ran back, taking the book from him.

"oh, Thank you." He bowed once more before walking away swiftly, book held closely against his chest.

The two men remained standing in place, looking at him from a far. "Seems like he didn't realize you killed them, Mutsunokami." Yamanbagiri said, turning to his comrade.

"Yep. The new gun Aruji-sama gave me is really great." Mutsunokami smiled, blowing the smoke of the tip of the weapon. "Shoots as quiet as a mouse."

The blond smirked a little before turning back down the road. "So, he could see them. Just like us."

"Yep, seems like it." His comrade agreed, placing his gun back into his coat. "Looks like they were chasing after him too. Luckily we were passing by."

"hm."

Yamanbagiri started walking down the opposite side of the road. "Let get the groceries and head back quickly." He said, tugging on his hood. "We shouldn't be getting too involved with the people's affairs here."

"I know, I know." Mutsunokami assured him, following from behind. "You know, I'm surprised that you of all people decided to help Aruji-sama run some errands."

"Why, is a simple job like this not suited for a copy like me?" He asked, his face heating up.

The larger _Touken Danshi_ laughed. "That's not what I meant. Don't take it too seriously."

From the other side of the road, Natsume stopped running, feeling a shortness of breath. He turned around again, making sure that the Yokai were really gone. Thankfully, they were. _They must have lost me_. He sighed, continuing down the road. His mind went back to the two men he bumped into, wondering if they were weird out by him. _They didn't seem shocked or frightened. Thought, I feel a sense of deja vu._

Natsume began to remember an encounter he experienced when he was younger. A strange lady came to comfort him when he was crying. Like him, she could see Yokai He remembered she said he would protected him from them and the kids who bullied him. She kept her promise, her presence alone was enough to scare away surrounding Yokai. He often followed her around, from going to toy stores to eating ice cream. His guardians then did not even questioned where he went, but he was contented with that.

However, one day, she stopped coming. Natsume kept going back to the playground to wait for her, but she never returned. He recalled Yokai cheering that she is finally gone, saying nonsense like she did not belong there in the first place. It deeply saddens him that he would no longer had someone like her around.

Just then, the teen thoughts were interrupted when he heard someone drunkenly call out his name. "Natsume!"

Natsume looked up and spotted Nyanko-sensei running on top the walls towards him. He kept rocking side to side, visibly drunk. "oi sensei, did you go out drinking again?" He asked irritatedly.

The cat apologetically nodded, falling into the boy's arms. "Hinoe got some ***hic*** good wine. I couldn't miss out on that." He said, shifting his body around.

 _And then to failed to protect me like you promised, again._ Natsume sighed, walking again.

After climbing up onto his shoulder, Nyanko-sensei spotted the book in Natsume's arms. "oi, what's that you have? ***hic*** "

"It's a book Sasada gave me." He explained, holding it in front of him. "I found it interesting, so I wanted to borrow it, but she said I could have it."

His self-proclaimed bodyguard winced his eyes, hoping to get a good look. He saw the title and shift his gaze to the teenage boy. If Natsume sudden gained interest in such things, that to him means he must have gotten himself into something.

* * *

After dinner, Natsume continued reading the book, more specifically on the swords with the same name as those kids.

"Midare Toushirou...only tantou forge by Awataguchi Yorimitsu with a midare hamon." He read out loud.

After reading the descriptions, the teen thought back to when Tanuma told him he saw Midare disappear while hiking up the hill, along with some other kids. It was either his friend quickly loss sight of them and mistook if for them disappearing, or they truly have something supernatural related to them like he initial believed. However, Nyanko-sensei said they were very rare, yet there are many spotted in the same place.

"ne sensei." Natsume turned to Nyanko-sensei, who was busy eating dried squid. "About what you told be previously, about Tsukumogami."

He instantly gained the cat's attention. "Are they ways that they could acquire a body of their own."

"Hm..." Nyanko-sensei set up, thinking through thoroughly. "Besides absorbing spiritual energy from their surroundings for hundreds of years, there is another method they could obtain a human form, but it is said to be merely rumors."

That peaked the teen's interest. "Really, what is it?"

"In the past, there is a special sage known as a Saniwa." Nyanko-sensei explained. "They are beings who are able to cultivate large amounts of spiritual energy in their youths. As a result, they usually die young. It is said that their spiritual energy is so powerful that even if a small amount is transferred to an inanimate object, it will instantly give them human form. That is if done properly."

"I see." Natsume said, mind racing with thoughts as he turned to the black book again. If that's the case, it is possible that there is this Saniwa sage living somewhere amidst them, maybe around the area where Tanuma spotted them.

However, if they are truly Tsukumogami, why is this person turning historical Japanese swords into humans. What was their goal.

He just had to find out. Tomorrow.

Suddenly, a knock came from the window, scaring both inhabitants in the room. Outside stood a non-menacing looking Yokai, a tengu to be more precise. "Excuse me, I'm here for my name."

"Okay." Natsume sighed, taking out the Book of Friends from his bag. From then, it was business as usual.


	3. On the other side of the barrier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natsume finds a secret land where he encounters more Tsukumogami, all while trying to avoid them. Meanwhile, the Touken Danshi are alerted to an intruder in the Citadel, causing them to worry if their enemy had infiltrated their secret base.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, here is the newest update to the fanfic. At this point, updates would be a little slow so I'll probably upload a chapter once every one or two weeks. However, I hope you would stay tune for whatever comes after. For those who have been reading since chapter one, thank you for sticking with me and this fanfic, I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Also disclaimer, I know Nansen exists in Touken Ranbu(I even have him in game), but for the purpose of this fic, he hasn't arrive yet.
> 
> Now, Thank you once again and onto chapter three.

In the Saniwa's private study, the lady of the Citadel sat by a book shelf, reading through one of it's books with heavy eyes.

"So...I was right." She said softly, lowering her hands.

Just then, she heard a soft knock on the door. "Aruji-sama, there has been message sent by the Time Government." Hasebe said, walking in, with Konnosuke on his shoulder.

The Saniwa immediately closed the book and placed it back into the shelf. "I understand." She replied, standing up.

She was about to exit the room when she felt Hasebe's hand garb onto her arm. "You look exhausted, Aruji-sama. Are you okay?" He asked, concerned with her health.

The young woman smiled, gentle removing his hand. "I'm fine, Hasebe-kun. Don't worry."

"Let's go." Konnosuke said, jumping onto the Saniwa's shoulder.

As she walked down the hall, the _Touken Danshi_ watched worriedly. _She's really been pushing herself lately._ He thought.

Everyone in the Citadel knew about the frail and cruel fate of a Saniwa sage, but their master forbid everyone to talk about it. However, they feared that she my succumb to it if she does not watch herself properly.

_If only..._

* * *

"I'm exhausted." Nyanko-sensei complained, falling flat onto the floor.

"We barely walked that far in, Sensei." Natsume said irritatedly, looking at the piece of paper he has written on.

Earlier that day, he called Tanuma to get the location of where he saw Midare. He learnt that the name of the area was Nakagamimachi, which lands were mostly forested. It was not too far, about a twenty minutes walk from where he lived. Tanuma offered to follow him but he refused, not wanting to drag his friend into something that might be potentially dangerous.

Touko had reminded him to be careful and to stay warm, fearing he might get injured. However, he assured her he would be fine.

Nyanko-sensei said he was crazy wanting to find out if Tsukumogami were living in the area, and find the Saniwa sage for that matter. But he followed anyway, not wanting anything to lay hands on his prey.

"We should be around the area by now." Natsume said, looking around.

After a ten minute walk or so, they managed to find the specific area. However, upon further looking, nothing seems out of ordinary.

"That's weird. There's nothing here."

"Maybe we're in the wrong area." Nyanko-sensei said, jumping onto his shoulder.

Natsume shook his head. "Nope, Tanuma specifically said this is where he say them."

Looking around, the teen could hear three low-level Yokai whispering to one another as they his behind the bushes.

"Is that one of them?"

"No, looks like it's just a normal child of men."

"oh, thank goodness."

"Should we eat him, he looks tasty."

"No, what if they appear."

"Who you mean by 'they'?" Natsume asked, peering over the bushes, causing the Yokai to jump back in fright.

"What...what would you like to... know." The biggest said, stumbling his words.

"I heard there is something weird going around this area." The teen explained. "I came to find out what."

"eh, don't bother about them, Natsume." Nyanko-sensei said, smirking as he stared at the Yokai, claws retracted. "Would you like me to eat them?"

That frightened them even more, causing them to run away. Natsume tried to call them back but they were already gone.

"Sensei, why did you have to scare them away." He yelled at the cat. "They could have gave us some useful information."

"They clearly did not want to tell you, can't you read them?" Nyanko-sensei retorted.

However, both stopped their bickering when he heard cries of pain from nearby.

The two quickly hid behind a nearby bush, peaking out just enough that they could see what was going on. There, they saw a a big-headed, three-eyed Yokai clutching his head and whining in pain as he rolled about on the ground. Beside him, his friend tried to comfort him.

Without thinking, Natsume ran out of the bushes to help. "Hey, are you okay?" He asked, squatting down to help pull the demon up.

"oh, yes thank you."

Both Yokai looked up and backed up a little in fright when they notice the human boy. "

Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you." He assured them. Peering down, he noticed the huge electrocuted mark on the three-eyed demon's head. "What happened?"

"I don't know." The Yokai shook his head, sulking on the ground. "I was going up the hill when I felt myself hitting something. Next thing I know, I was getting electrocuted."

"He heard rumors that the hill has been closed of by a weird barrier." His friend confessed against the Yokai's wishes.

"We heard rumors that inside it lived a fierce and powerful woman who controls Tsukumogami to do her biding. How scary. However, this idiot thinking think it was through and wanted to see it for himself." He added, smacking the back of in injured Yokai's head.

"Seriously." Natsume said, clenching onto his bag. _But those kids seem so nice. I couldn't imagine a Saniwa sage using them for bad._

"You have a lot of guts for a low level to want to confront a Tsukumogami, considering the history Yokai had with them." The teen turned to Nyanko-sensei after hearing his comment.

"What history?" He asked.

"Way back in the past, Saniwa sages use to be hired by exorcist families to kill Yokai." The cat explained, shocking Natsume. "Because when an object gains human form, besides inheriting the ability to see Yokai, they lack the understanding of emotions. As such, exorcist families trains the Tsukumogami into being one of them, turning them into cold-blooded killers. Since then, most Yokai had been scared of Tsukumogami."

Natsume shivered. Just the thought that this person might be working for an exorcist family, like the Matoba clan, sent chills down his spine. He knew how ruthless they could be.

"However, that practiced soon ceased to exist after Saniwa sages went extincted almost 500 years ago." Nyanko-sensei ended. "But it may be possible that they may have come back."

Turning to the side, the pair realized the two Yokai had disappear, presumably scared away by the story. Natsume sighed as he go up, knowing they have just lost another lead.

"Maybe you should just give up." Nyanko-sensei suggested. "No point in finding beings feared by the one thing that you want to help."

The teen ignored him, facing the direction where the Yokai fell from, tracing down the dirt tracks that he created. _I wonder_ _._ He thought, walking up the direction. "oi, were you listening to me!" Nyanko-sensei yelled before following from behind.

Reaching to where the tracks started, Natsume stopped, looking up. From his view, everything from above looked like normal forested ground.

But he suspect it's fowl play.

 _If it starts here, that means._ Trusting his hunch, he nervously rose his hand up and brought it forward. He did not know what to expect. After what seemed like forever, Natsume felt his hand come in contact with something, prompting him to pull it back.

"What is it?" Nyanko-sensei asked, looking up at him.

"There is something here, like a barrier of some sort." The teen said, stepping back a little to check his hand. "I didn't get affected though."

"I think it's because you are human." The cat frowned. "Let me try."

"Ah, wait sensei." Before the boy could stop him, Nyanko-sensei had already placed his paw on the barrier. Surprisingly, nothing happened. "But..."

"If you forget, this body is a mere vessel." He explained again, recalling the number of times he had already told Natsume. "I guess it has no effect on me in this form."

"I guess you have remain in that form for the rest of the day then." Natsume said, picking up the cat so that he could climb up his shoulder.

Breathing in and out, the teen readied himself to cross the barrier. He did not know what was in stall, but he had to prepare himself for whatever happens. "Ready?" He turned to Nyanko-sensei.

After a final nod, Natsume closed his eyes and stepped forward.

* * *

Natsume felt his body enveloped in heaviness as he walked through the barrier. But he felt it all met away quickly.

Reopen his eyes, he gasped when realized that the ground below him had flattened, no longer was he on a hill. In front of him, the barren trees were still in line with the current season, but were unnaturally aligned in neat rows.

The trees parted just where he was standing, with a stone path under him. In addition, large torii gates lined the path, creating an enchanting atmosphere even Natsume cannot deny.

"It's like a whole different world."

"hm." Nyanko-sensei answered, jumping of the boy's shoulder. "Not as pretty as other Yokai worlds, but it does have a charm of it's own."

"Would be nicer if it was spring." Natsume smiled, imagining how beautiful it would be if cherry blossoms filling the trees.

However, his imaginations were cut short by a slap to the face.

"Focus." Nyanko-sensei chastised. "We're not here to sight see. Remember what you dragged us here for."

"You damn cat." Natsume yelled, pinching his chubby cheeks. "Why did you do that."

While the pair continued their bickering, a sudden flash of light was spotted from the corner of their eyes, causing both of the to stop and turn. In front of them, a huge pillar of light rose from the ground, reaching the sky and separating some passing clouds. In less than a few seconds, it disappeared, shrinking into nothingness.

"What was that?" The boy questioned, giving time for the cat to escape his grasps.

"No idea. Let's go."

"Hey, sensei wait!" Natsume cried, chasing Nyanko-sensei from behind as he ran through the torii gates.

Passing through the final one, the pair came to a large opening. When the Nyanko-sensei came to a stop, the teen followed, looking up.

On the large field lies a large minka with tall walls surrounding the area. The stone path they stood on led stretched to the compound's entrance. It's structure, dull and light colour scheme mix with the enchanting atmosphere makes the building resemble a castle in the sengoku area.

 _This is way different from what I expected._ Natsume thought, looking around entranced by the surroundings. If he did not know better, he would have thought he was just transported back in time.

Meanwhile, Nyanko-sensei began sniffing up at the air. He suddenly picked up in a familiar scent, causing his eyes to twinkle in excitement.

"Grilled squid. And sake!" He drooled.

Unable to control himself, the cat began to prance away, leaving Natsume behind.

"We should stay close in case something dangerous come up. Okay, sensei?"

Awaiting a reply, the teen turned back to the front, only to realize Nyanko-sensei was already gone. "Sensei." He called, looking around. _Don't tell me...he went in there._ "Sensei!"

Without giving a second thought, Natsume ran towards the compounds entrance.

* * *

"Where could he have ran to?" Natsume questioned himself, looking around.

Upon entering the compound, he realized it was much bigger than it looks from the outside. In addition with the mikan, there was a large field at the back at the compound. As it was winter, there were little crops growing from them, but he could see roles of lettuce, peas and potatoes growing from them. Next to the field also stood a stable where Natsume assumed where horses and other farm animals are housed.

There were also other buildings in the area, one of which resembled an old Victorian house, which felt extremely our of place.

 _There must be many people living here if this must space is required._ The thought as he continued walking around. Luckily, he has not been spotted by anyone yet. However, he has yet to find Nyanko-sensei.

As he walked deeper into the compound, Natsume turned around when he heard the sound of wood hitting each other. He spotted a dojo-style building a few yards from where he stood, connected to the main building by the _engawa_. Curious, he decided to take a closer look.

The teen peered from below the _engawa_ as discreetly as possible, keeping his bag close by his side, hoping no one will spot him. Looking inside, he watched as two teenage-looking boys spared with wooden swords, while three others watched.

They looked like they have been sparing for a while, judging from their panting and sweat-covered face. They were on pare with one another, making it hard to predict who would win. But eventually, the one in the blue hakama faltered. Seizing the opening, his sparing partner launched forward, knocking his sword from his hands with his. At the same time, knocking him onto the floor.

The spectators gasped and clapped as the match ended, thoroughly impressed. "Great match. You have grown a lot stronger over the pass two years, Kiyomitsu." Izuminokami smiled.

The red-clad _Touken Dashi_ lowered his stance and smiled proudly at the compliment. "I have too if I want Aruji-sama to dispatch me." He then walked to his fallen partner and extended his empty hand. "Are you okay, Yasusada?"

Yamatonokami nodded, accepting the hand. "I'm fine." He assured Kashuu as he pulled him up. "It was a good fight, though. We were pretty even."

Horikawa nodded in agreement eagerly. "I was so hard to tell who would win. It was amazing."

"As predicted for the two swords of Okita Souji." Nagasone beamed with pride.

Kashuu and Yamatonokami smiled shyly, overwhelmed by the compliments from his comrades. "you guys..."

Natsume watched as the five men laughed and spoke to one another. He smiled, their conversations reminding him of when he is with his friends. However, he started digging through his bag after picking up on a name he heard. _Okita Souji...if I recall, he was a member of the Shinsengumi...I remember seeing it somewhere..._

Flipping through the pages, he stopped when he saw the name on one of the pages. _There_...

"Kashuu Kiyomitsu...owned by Okita Souji of the Shinsengumi along with Yamatonokami Yasusada. See the next page..." He read quietly before flipping to the following page.

From the conversation he heard, Natsume recalled hearing those names from the men. Now, he was thoroughly convinced they are Tsukumogami, as what Nyanko-sensei said.

Just then, he heard small footsteps run pass by behind him. Turning around, he saw a tuft of white and orange fur run to the back of the dojo. There was only one animal he knew who had orange and white fur. "oi, sensei!"

Running after the small animal, Natsume leaped forward and pounced onto him, trapping and preventing him from running away. "Where did you go. I said we should stay close."

"GET OF ME! HELP!"

Upon hearing a unfamiliar high pitched voice, Natsume removed his arms and realize instead of a fate cat, he has caught a cute little fox. "Wahh!" He gasped as the animal leap out of his arms and dashed away from him, without turning back.

After pushing himself up onto his feet, his apology was cut short when heard foot steps running to his direction. Not wanting to get caught, Natsume crawled underneath the _engawa_ , covering his mouth as to muffle any sound he would make.

"Konnosuke, what happened? We heard you scream." Horikawa asked the kudagitsune.

"I don't know." Konnosuke replied, leaping onto the _engawa_. "I was running around when someone suddenly jumped onto he. I got scared so I screamed."

"Maybe its just one of the tantou or Tsuru-san trying to play a prank." Kashuu thought, hands on his hips.

"Don't know." The fox shook his head. "I heard them say some, though. And they voice sounded unfamiliar."

Nagasone frowned, thinking for a moment before voicing his thoughts. "Do you think...someone could have snuck in here?"

That thought sent alarms to the other _Touken Danshi_. If that is true, they did not know if this person is a mere human who accidentally wondered into the compound, a or one of their foes after them or their master.

"That's impossible." Kashuu assured them. "Aruji-sama told me herself. Only those who posses her spiritual energy could pass through the barrier."

"But maybe, there could be a possibility someone unknowingly walked through the barrier." Yamatonokami added.

"This is a serious matter." Konnosuke said, leaping onto Kashuu's shoulder. "I think it is best to tell the others to be on guard. We wouldn't know if its just a human or the _jikan-sokogun_. If someone said they saw something of, report to me immediately. Alright."

The Shinsengumi swords nodded in understanding before walking away, all in different directions. Making sure they were all gone, Natsume crawled out of the _engawa_ , breathing a sigh of relief. "That was close."

 _But it won't be long before they discover us._ He thought worriedly, standing up. Based on the conversation he heard, he has already confirmed there are the compound has more residents.

Right now, his plans on finding this Saniwa sage, or what ever the _jikan-sokogun_ is, has been thrown out the window. _I have to find Nyanko-sensei and fast._

* * *

It was not long before Natsume finds him. After wondering around the large compound, and avoiding any passing Tsukumogami, the teen manage to spot Nyanko-sensei seated on the porch, drunkenly sipping on a sake cup with three large men.

"This is the best sake I have ever drunk!" He heard him cheer loudly.

"You said that for every sake we have already." The big gruff man laughed, pouring more liquid into the dish.

"Would you like more grilled squid?" The feminine looking man asked, picking up a skewed squid from the fire place in front of them.

The cat willing accepted it, having the time of his life.

Natsume stared at the scene with a deadpanned look. _Of course he ran off to drink_ _and eat._

_But...how am I going to get him without getting spotted._

"oh yeah, shouldn't you be with your companion?" The feminine man added.

Nyanko-sensei gobbled down a tentacle before speaking. "He's probably with the Saniwa." He then place the empty stick down. "I should do find him. However, I don't know where it is."

"Just walk down this corridor and take the stairs up." The gentle looking man said, pointing behind him. "That's where Aruji-sama's office is."

"Thank you." Nyanko-sensei nodded before making his way down the corridor.

 _Damn it,_ _what is he up too._ Natsume face palmed as he watched the cat disappear before turning around. _I have to find another entrance._ Soon after, he went off.

"Who was that you where talking too?" Hasebe asked, walking towards the drunken _Touken Danshi._

"oh, you weren't aware." Jirotachi said, looking up. "There is a new _Touken Danshi_. We were just talking to his cat companion."

Hasebe blinked. "That's impossible. The blacksmith hasn't been active at all today. And Aruji-sama has been in her office. There is no way there is a new _Touken Danshi_."

The spear and _Ootachi_ brothers blinked in confusion and turned to one another. "Then...who was that we were talking too?" Nihongou questioned.

"Kashuu had just told me there might been an intruder." The Saniwa's assistant said, fingers on his chin. "I came here to tell you this."

All there eyes widened. "Could it be an enemy?" Taroutachi asked he stood up worriedly.

Hasebe shook his head. "It's not confirmed yet, but it could be possible."

"Wait, that pig-cat said he has a companion." Nihongou recalled. "That means there that his companion is posing as a _Touken Danshi_."

"If that's the case, they are aware of our existence." Jirotachi added, looking more worried.

Hasebe opened his mouth. "If so, there is a high chance they could be our enemy. No one around this time would know about our existence." He went on.

Then, Taroutachi cupped his mouth, realizing he might have made a fatal mistake. " _Aniki_ , what's wrong?" His brother asked.

"The cat asked for directions to the Saniwa's office earlier, right?" He said.

Everyone tensed up as a moment of silence passed between them, realizing they might have accidentally given information to their enemy. And now, that person knows where the Saniwa is.

"ARUJI-SAMA!"

* * *

"Nyanko-sensei, where did you go!" Natsume yelled at the cat, who now has a bump on his head. "What did you do!"

Right after he watched Nyanko-sensei left the group of men, he managed to find another corridor that led to where the cat was headed to. He had managed to catch him right when he started walking up the stairs to the second floor. Fearing he might run away again, he punched him in the head.

Now, they were hiding out in the room of the second floor.

"You wanted to find who this Saniwa person is right? ***hic*** So I decided to go do my own digging." Nyanko-sensei retorted, equally as annoyed as the human. "You should thank me, I got plenty of information."

 _You liar._ "How did you manage to get close to them, anyway?"

"oh, I thought I was a companion of a new Tsukumogami ***hic*** " He explained, recalling what happened. "They were easy to convince since they were drunk. Then, I took the opportunity to get close to them, ***hic*** and then ask them about this Saniwa person's whereabouts."

"You..you said I was a Tsukumogami?" Natsume repeated in shock, bring him closer.

"Technically, the term used here is ' _Touken Dashi'_. By the was, your name is now Nansen Ichimonji." Nyanko-sensei added, trying to stray the teen of topic.

However, it just made him more stress than ever. "Sensei, some of the people here are already suspecting there are intruders in the area. Forget about finding the Saniwa, we have to go before we get into trouble."

"ahh, and after all the things I did for you." The cat sulked. "We're even already here."

Natsume blinked, confused by what he said. "Wait, what do you mean we're here."

"Well, that large man said the Saniwa's office is located on the room on the second floor, and were in a room on the second floor..."

After slowly processing what he meant, Natsume unintentionally dropped Nyanko-sensei. Luckily, the cat managed to land on his feet. "Wait, so if we are in the Saniwa's office. That means..."

When they heard someone softly breathing, the pair turned to the side. It was then they spotted a figure slumped on a wide study table at the back of the room, sleeping soundly on top a closed laptop.

Curious, Natsume decided to take a closer look, avoiding the chairs and coffee table in front of him. Nyanko-sensei follow suite, jumping onto the study table as the boy stared at the body closely. "So, this is the Saniwa?"

The cat nodded. "Like I said, they cultivate a lot of spiritual energy at a young age, so it's natural for them to fall asleep like that."

Natsume continued observing the figure before him. She was clearly a young woman, most likely in her twenties. Earlier, he overheard one of the _Touken Danshi_ said it has been two years since began their 'job', indicating she must have used up a lot of spiritual energy in order to give them human form. But what purpose, he wanted to find out.

However, before he could try and wake her up, Natsume felt something hard hit the back of his neck, causing him to plummet into darkness.


	4. Friends we haven't met

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being found out, Natsume and Nyanko-sensei gets captured, mistaken to be enemies by the Touken Danshi. However, it isn't long before he finally encounters the (not so) elusive Saniwa sage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi readers, this is Gi back with a new chapter. For those who were here since the beginning, thank you for waiting patiently. For those new, welcome.
> 
> I'm so glad too be finally able to post this chapter. I had to rewrite and revise it a few times before I was happy with it. I hope you would enjoy it to. This will be the final chapter before we hit the 'main storyline' so I hope you enjoy and would stick with me until the end.
> 
> So sit back, relax, grab a glass of your favorite beverage and enjoy.

She's not here again? _Natsume thought sadly as he sat on the swing._

_It has been three days since he say Kusa. They always met up at the playground and he always made sure not to be late. However, this time, she did not come._

_"You stop waiting for her kid." Natsume looked up and saw a raven perched up on top the swing set, turning into her Yokai form. "She is never coming back."_

_The kid looked at her confusingly. "Why?"_

_"To put it simply, she doesn't belong here." She explained. "It's a good thing though. We Yokai no longer have to deal with her kind anymore."_

Her kind? What is she saying? _Natsume did not understand what the raven was saying._

_Kusa promised him she would protect him. She was the only human who ever cared for him and never treated him indifferently. He felt safe with her._

_"Your wrong..." He sobbed, tightening his grip around the swing. "Kusa-san...she will come back."_

_The Yokai simply sighed and shook. "Humans are so naive."_

_Looking up again, Natsume noticed the Yokai had return to her bird form and has flown away, just when he wanted to ask her something. "Wait!" He cried, getting of the swing. "What do you mean by 'her kind'?"_

_"Come back!"_

"Natsume. Natsume!"

The boy's eyes opened slowly upon hearing his name being called. He found himself lying on a cold, dirty ground, Nyanko-sensei right in his face.

"Sensei." He groaned as he pushed himself up, feeling a stinging pain on the back of his neck. "How long have I been out? What happened?"

"Not long." The cat told him. "Though we are in a tight situation now."

Looking around, he soon realized they were in a prison cell with talismans pasted along the wooden bars, most likely there to prevent them from escaping. Natsume gasped and ran to the bars, tugging and tried to look out. However, a spark of light ignited between his eyes, causing him to fall onto floor, hands burning slightly form the electrocution.

"ow..." He winced painfully.

"Looks like our cover was blown." Nyanko-sensei said bluntly. "They discovered we were intruders and locked us up."

The human boy then recalled what happened earlier. They were in the Saniwa's office and saw her asleep on a table. When he was about to wake her, he was hit at the back of the neck. "I remember getting knocked out, but how did you get captured, Sensei?"

"Well..."

The cat hesitated to tell him what happened, recalling after Natsume fell unconscious, he transformed into his _inugami_ form, forgetting that the barrier response aggressively towards the presence of Yokai.

Before he could attack the _Touken Danshi_ , he was electrocuted, causing him to revert back into his _maneki_ _neko_ unconscious.

"I fought them of, but they got the best of me and captured me." He lied.

 _You liar_ _._ Natsume thought before looking around the cell again.

Then, he realized something important was missing. "Sensei, where is my bag?" He asked.

Knowing what he was taking about, Nyanko-sensei looked around to double check before freaking out. "You idiot, you lost the Book of Friends!" He yelled angrily.

"I didn't lose it." Natsume defended himself. "It must have been confiscated by them when we got captured."

"Then, we have to get out of here and find it." The cat said, pawing his claws against the stone walls. "I told you it was a bad idea to do this. I can't you listen to me?"

"Hey, you went along with it." The teen retorted, knowing full well the cat was just as curious as he is.

"Only to make sure you, my prey, and the Book of Friends are safe." Nyanko-sensei yelled as the pair glared at each other. "Now look at us now, were captured, and the Book of Friends is gone."

"I would greatly appreciate it if you two stop bickering. There is enough commotion in the Citadel already."

Upon hearing a new voice, Natsume and Nyanko-sensei turned around, only to find themselves faced to faced with a handsome looking man, clad in purple and white clothing with gold ornaments that resembled armor, glaring down at them. On his shoulder sat the little fox the human boy mistaken to his companion earlier.

"It's him, I recognize his voice, _Hasebe-dono."_ The fox, Natsume recalled his name was Konnosuke, said accusingly.

"You have a lot of guts sneaking in here." Hasebe said. "I don't know what the Historical Revolutionists is trying to do, but they must be really desperate if they got someone like you and a fat cat to come harm our master."

"What did you say, you bastard!" Nyanko-sensei yelled, offended by his comment.

"Wait, this is a misunderstanding." Natsume cut in, defending himself. "i have no idea what your talking about, and whoever they are, I'm not part of them."

"Keeping trying to defend yourself." Hasebe said. "We went through your belongings and notice you have a book full of names written in it."

Natsume gasped when he realized he was talking about the Book of Friends. "I've lived enough centuries to recognized that's the same method sages use to summon Yokai." The man added.

 _He knows how it works?_ "Wait, the Book of Friends is not used for that purpose, I promise." He said defensively.

"Confess now, your a sage hired by the Historical Revolutionists to destroy the Citadel, aren't you?" Konnosuke questioned. Natsume tried to speak up again but was interrupted by the fox. "We're already saw that pig's true form. No normal human could control a beast of that level."

"What did you just call me, you raccoon!" Nyanko-sensei insulted back, wishing he could revert to his true form.

"I'm a fox, thank you very much!"

"Your companion also seem to have thorough knowledge of us and the Saniwa." Hasebe added on, ignoring the state down between the animals. "It's also impossible for someone like you to pass through the barrier, provided you snuck in together with the unit who returned yesterday."

 _Impossible?_ "Wait, so your saying a normal human like me couldn't pass through?" The boy asked, moving himself closer to the _Touken Danshi,_ but not too close in case he might draw his sword.

"Only the Saniwa and those who possesses her spiritual energy are able to pass through the barrier." Konnosuke said.

 _Then...how were we able to pass through it?_ He thought before turning to the cat. "Sensei?"

"Don't look at me like that. I just assumed that only humans and Tsukumogami can pass through it. I don't know what else." Nyanko-sensei retorted.

 _Damn it. There is nothing I can use to back myself up._ Natsume thought worriedly. _What should I do?_

Just at that moment, the occupants heard more people coming towards them.

"Hasebe, we heard what happened from the others." Natsume eyes widened, recognizing the gruff yet enthusiastic voice. _That voice, is that_ _?_ "Is Aruji-sama okay."

"Your back, that's fast." Konnosuke commented as Hasebe turned to greet the new comers.

"We've been to Toba many times, so it's was pretty easy." Another familar voice added.

 _Midare?_ Natsume recognized. That's it, he found his ticket out of the cell.

He leaned out slightly, making sure he does not touch the bars. "Hey, it's me!" He cried.

"oi, what are you doing?" Hasebe yelled, ready to draw his sword.

Recognizing the voice, Midare blinked as he and Mutsunokami turned to the prison cell. He gasped when he realized who it was inside. "Natsume-san?"

The boy sighed and smiled, glad the kid remembered him. "You know that girl?" Nyanko-sensei gazed at him.

"She was one of the children I helped that day." He explained.

"oi, I don't mind you calling me a girl, but I'm not a kid." Midare said teasingly, earning weird looks from the prisoners.

Then, Mutsunokami bend down and stared at Natsume, making the boy a little uncomfortable. "oh, I remember you!" He exclaimed. "Your the boy Yamanbagiri and I bumped into yesterday."

"Never thought you would be this Natsume person the Toushirou siblings met." He added, smiling warmly.

 _So he was also a Tsukumogami._ Natsume then turned to Midare. "You told everyone here about me?"

He nodded. "Of course."

 _eh, so this boy is this Natsume person_. Hasebe thought, staring at the young boy. He remembered very vividly that his master had a strong reaction upon hearing that name, as if it is the name of someone she is very familiar with.

Then, just when he returned his attention to the boy, the cell's doors were already opened by Mutsunokami, allowing Natsume and Nyanko-sensei to exit freely. "Wait, what are you doing!" He yelled at them. "He is still under interrogation!"

"Don't worry, we already questioned him while you were deep in thought." Mutsunokami assured him. "Midare and I have also met him before. He doesn't seem to be the suspicious type."

"Just because you two met him before doesn't mean he not innocent." Konnosuke said, jumping of Hasebe's shoulder. "What if he's faking it?"

"Trust me, Natsume is in no ways a good actor." Nyanko-sensei laughed, petting the boy's leg. "In fact, he is actually very fraile, incompetent and trust people too easily. He even faints whenever he uses the slightest amount of spiritual energy."

"Sensei..." Natsume felt his eye twitch as Nyanko-sensei hurl insult after insult.

Ignoring Natsume's irritation, the cat went on. "It's ridiculous for you to think he part of this Historical Revolutionists or whatever."

"Still, we can't let you go until we receive world from our master." Hasebe added, reaching out to grab the boys arm. 

"It's okay, Hasebe-kun."

Everybody turned around when they heard a gentle voice call out to the _Touken Danshi_ , prompting him to stop immediately. Stepping out the shadowy corridor of the prison, a young woman stepped underneath the light, revealing her face.

Natsume's eyes widened in awe when he finally saw the Saniwa.

She was a beautiful young woman with long chestnut hair, tied in a simple braided half-up do, and unnatural yet piercing violet eyes. She dawned a _miko hakama_ and wore a simple white cape around it, probably to keep her out from the winter cold. She also wore a necklace around her neck with a large pink gem as the center piece. She was far from the tyrant the Yokai rumored her to be.

"Aruji-sama!" Midare jumped up, wrapping his arms around her waist.

The Saniwa smiled down at him and rubbed his head. "Midare-chan, so your here. I was wondering where you two were."

"We heard what happened and came to see." Mutsunokami explained.

"I see."

The Lady of the Citadel then turned to face Natsume, with the _Touken Danshi_ moving away as she did, allowing their master to walk towards him. "You're Natsume Takashi, right?"

The boy nodded slightly, unsure what she was going to do. She was probably not happy with having a intruder around.

Surprisingly, she simply smiled at him and stuck out her hand.

"I'm the Master of the Citadel, the Saniwa. Nice too meet you."

* * *

Natsume shifted awkwardly as the Saniwa prepared tea for the both of them, snacks laid on the table for them. They were now back in her office, with him and Nyanko-sensei sited opposite her and her fox companion.

Earlier, they passed by the other _Touken Danshi,_ most wondering who he was. Akita and Houchou recognized him from the crowd, but was held back who Natsume presumed was their older brother, judging from the similar clothing. Natsume also recognized the blond hooded man, but he shifted his gaze away after seeing him.

The Saniwa ordered everyone to leave her with him for a while, much to most of their dismay, since she was about to be alone with someone who is could potentially their enemy. Thankfully, after some assurance from her and the three _Toushirou tantou_ , they relented. However, Natsume did overhear her talking to one of them privately, which made him partially nervous.

"Here." The Saniwa offered a cup of tea.

"oh, thank you..." Natsume thanked nervously before taking a small sip.

"I apologize for what happened earlier." She started. "The _Touken Danshi_ can be quite protective of me. We don't usually have intruders."

 _I could tell_ _._ The boy lowered the cup and shook his head. "oh no, I should apologize. I didn't mean to sneak in."

"Yes you did." Nyanko-sensei countered before gobbling down a dango. Though, he was met with a punch on the head.

"ow..."

The Saniwa let out a soft laugh, placing her cup back onto the table. "Well, curiosity tends to get the better of us." She commented sweetly. "It nice to meet you, though. The Toushirou siblings were speaking so fondly of you that day. It was a tough day that day so it was nice for them to buy treats for the Citadel."

Natsume looked up and smiled, finding himself relaxing in the young woman's presence. As he stared at her, he realized that her movements was unusually slow and there were faint eye bags underneath her eyes, indicating her lack of sleep exhaustion.

 _That explains why she was sleeping earlier._ He thought.

"So, why are you here? What is that book you have and why do you about the Saniwa?" Konnosuke questioned.

"Well...When I was helping Midare and her brothers, a friend told me that he saw her around this area." Natsume explained. "It got me suspecting maybe they had something supernatural involved with them, so I asked Nyanko-sensei about it."

"That's when I told him about Tsukumogami and the Saniwa sage." Nyanko-sensei concluded, him mouth stuffed with dango.

"I'm assuming you are a Yokai trapped in a pig statue, right?" Konnosuke asked.

"I'm a cat!" The demon retorted.

"Konnosuke, that's not very nice." The Saniwa turned to him. "Sorry, he is rarely like this."

After swallowing his treat, the cat spoke up. "It's our turn. Your a Saniwa sage, aren't you lady? Why are you here and what is you motive?"

"Wait, you haven't answered all our questions!" The fox yelled.

"Sensei, don't..." Natsume was ready to scold before the young woman answered him.

"You right, I'm a Saniwa sage." She replied, causing the boy to gasped in surprise. "All those boys you see are Tsukumogami, specifically those of ancient swords."

 _Wait, so all of them...are Tsukumogami_. Natsume thought in shock.

From what he saw earlier, there is bound to be at least forty of them, maybe more. For her to awaken that many, it must have taken a toll on her body.

"Unfortunately, we can't tell you anything." The Saniwa added with a cryptic smile. "Let's just say we're **ahead of your time**."

 _What is that supposed to mean._ "Then...your not affiliated with the exorcists?" Natsume asked nervously.

She shook her head. "No, I'm not. I assume to came here to find out right?"

The boy stammered but remained silent, proving the Saniwa's question. "It's fine. I'm familiar with the history Saniwa sages, the exorcists and Yokai had in the past."

"Then...are you able to see them too?" Natsume asked hesitantly.

The young woman nodded. "I've been able to see Yokai all my life. It's an ability passed down through my family."

 _In other words...she inherited it. Like me._ The teen thought. "But, if your reason for awakening isn't for exorcising Yokai, then what is it?"

"It's like I said, I couldn't tell you." The Saniwa added. "That information is strictly confidential."

Natsume moved forward to speak up again but eventually relented. He knew if he asked again, he might be deem untrustworthy. It was best if he just remained silent.

"You haven't answered us." Konnosuke spoke up. "What was that book you had? The green worn out one."

The boy paused for a moment before speaking. "It's a book I inherited from my grandmother." He explained. "She fought Yokai in her youth and those who lost to her have to right their names in a piece of paper."

"But what are some pages torn out?" Konnosuke questioned again.

"I'm returning the Yokai their names." Natsume answered. "I want to return what my grandmother took from them."

The Saniwa nodded understandingly. "I see, so it isn't used for summoning like they said. But, it must be hard for you, isn't it?"

Natsume looked up in surprise. "That book must be very powerful if it contains that many names. Yokai are probably chasing after you every time." She added kindly.

"You got that right, lady." Nyanko-sensei said in agreement. "Why do you think he has me."

Konnosuke glared at the cat suspiciously. "You look pretty useless despite your true form. You just want the book for yourself, don't you?"

"I don't want to hear that from a tiny fox like you!" He retorted.

Soon after, the doors slide opened again, revealing the red-clad man that he saw in the dojo earlier, his bag in hand.

"Aruji-sama, this is the bag the boy brought with him earlier." He said, walking towards the Saniwa. "His books and other belongings have been placed inside properly."

 _Then...earlier when she was speaking to them, she was ordering them to return my belongings?_ Natsume thought.

He recalled that the _Touken Danshi_ interrogating him earlier said he went through his stuff, thus the misunderstanding that happened..

"Thank you, Kashuu-kun." She thanked as Kashuu handed her the bag.

The _Touken Danshi_ bowed before leaving the room, though not before sending Natsume and Nyanko-sensei a defensive glare, sending slight chills down their spines.

The Saniwa turned to the boy and his companion, passing the bag back to it's owner. "Here, I heard you were pretty worried about it."

Relieved, Natsume gently took the bag and dug into it, making sure everything was in place. Thankfully, nothing was missing, including the Book of Friends. "Thank you." He thanked, smiling thinly.

However, something else then came to his mind. "Oh yeah, that guy in purple said that only you and the _Tsukumogami_ here could pass through the barrier. If that's true, how is it we can pass through it?"

"Yeah, that is something I questioned myself." Konnosuke said, facing his friend. "I know that fat cat can pass through because that shell of his acts as a defense mechanism, but why can he pass through it."

The Saniwa opened her mouth to speak but Nyanko-sensei beat her too it, causing everyone to turn to him. "I think I know." He spoke up, turning to the teen boy. "Natsume, do you remember being touched by either of them when you met them?"

Natsume paused and though for a moment, recalling that Houchou did bumb into him and hugged him that day they met. Mutsunokami also gave him his hand when he fell after bumping into him. "uh..yes."

"Since the power of the Saniwa flows through their being, and it is incredibly strong, it is really strong, it is possible that the _Touken Danshi'_ accidentally transferred their spiritual energy into your body." The cat explained, gulping down another treat. "That's why you were able to cross the barrier."

"Am I right, Saniwa?"

The young lady paused for a moment before giving a small nodded. "That is the most possible reason."

Konnosuke stared at the Saniwa, noticing her slight hesitance. She hid it well from her guests, but to him it was clear as day.

"Well, we shouldn't wait any longer." She shook her head and smiled, standing for her seat. "It's getting late. I assume you should be heading home."

As the young woman opened the _shogi_ doors, she and Konnosuke nearly jumped out of shock as four of the _Touken Danshi_ tumbled onto the floor, one on top the other. Natsume and Nyanko-sensei gasped as they stared at the fallen man and young boys.

" _ara,_ what are you doing?" The Saniwa asked them as they picked themselves up.

Hasebe quickly recovered and bowed at his master guiltily. "My apologise, Aruji-sama. This three wanted to spy on your conversation with **him**..." He shift his gaze towards the teen boy behind her for a moment. "I tried to shoo them away, but... my curiosity got the best of me."

"We wanted to know if Natsume-san is alright." Akita said as he and his brothers stood up, nodding in agreement.

The Saniwa shook her head and smiled sweetly, petting the pink-haired boy's head. "Don't worry, he isn't in trouble."

Natsume's eyes widened as he watched their interaction. The way the young woman behaved around the young looking _Tsukumogami_ was almost like how a parent would treat their young child. Almost like their an actual family.

"Anyway, he is free to go." Konnosuke added. "He answered all our questions and he has cleared all of them."

The _Toushirou tantou_ sighed in relief. "That's great too hear." They said in unison.

Houchou then stood up and walked towards Natsume, gripping onto his hand. " _ne_ Natsume-san, how about you stay and have dinner with us. The food in the Citadel is better than any food you have ever tasted."

"I could attest to that." Nyanko-sensei commented as he drooled, recalling the homemade snacks he gobbled down earlier.

Natsume smiled. "I appreciate the offer, but I promised that I would return home before sunset." He turned it down kindly, picking the cat up. "Besides, it's be weird for a stranger to join a dinner like that."

"What's wrong with that?" Midare asked, causing him to blink in confusion. "Everyone here started out as strangers, though some of us know each other better. However, as we spend more time together, we learn to get along."

"Take Hasebe-san for example." He shift his gaze to the man. "When he arrived, there was only Kashuu-san and Aruji-sama in the Citadel. From what I heard, he started out pretty uncomfortable and unconfident at first. Now, he is pretty much the mother hen here."

Hasebe clenched his fists as the _tantou_ giggled shamelessly, blushing furiously at the seemingly harmless comment. The Saniwa simply smiled, petting his shoulder.

"There is this saying I heard from Ichi-nii a while ago." Akita cut in, trying to recall. "Something along the lines of 'Strangers are just friends we have yet to meet'."

Natsume gasped quietly after hearing that line. That last time he heard that line was a long time ago, back when he had **her** around.

**_*Years ago_ **

_"Why do you want to protect me?" Young Natsume asked as he and Kusa sat on the swings of the playground._

_The woman looked up in confusion. "What do you mean?" She asked kindly._

_"Though both of us have the same ability, I'm just a mere stranger to you." He said hesitantly before looking up. "What made you want to protect me?"_

_Kusa paused for a moment before petting Natsume's head, looking at him fondly. "There is a saying an old friend once told be. They said 'Strangers are friends we haven't met'."_

_The little boy looked up, unsure what she was saying. "Everyone starts of as strangers. But as we spend more time together, getting to know and accept each other, we from a bond with each other. That's how friendships are formed."_

_Natsume felt his heart flutter. "So...your saying if we take the time to know each other, we could be friends?" He asked._

_Kusa smiled thinly. "I think we already are."_

**_Present day*_ **

"oi, Natsume." The teen blinked after hearing Nyanko-sensei calling out to him. "You were spacing out again."

"I was, sorry." He apologized sheepishly, scratching the back of his head before turning to face the residents of the Citadel. "I would love to join but I really have to head home."

The _Toushirou_ siblings sighed in disappointment. "okay, we understand."

"Besides, It's not suitable for someone like him to stay here." Konnosuke added, jumping onto the Saniwa's shoulder.

"Huh, what do you mean?" Midare asked as he and his brothers turned to their master.

However, before he could answer, the young woman intervened. "Oh, Konnosuke, Mutsunokami has yet to sent the report to me, can you and Hasebe-kun go check on him for me?"

Before the little fox could say something else, the Saniwa carried him of her shoulder and passed him to her assistant, who unwittingly took him before being led out of the room. "You three should go too." She added, turning to the siblings. "You had a pretty long day today, go rest up."

"Okay." They nodded before turning to the teenage boy. "Bye, Natsume-san."

Natsume waved back to them as they left the room. "They incredibly polite." He commented with a smile as the Saniwa closed the office doors. "It's hard to believe they are not human."

"They are human." She replied, turning to face him. "The _Token Danshi_ , they are like us in every way. They talk like up, work like us, eat like us, sleep like us. Only difference is their circumstances."

A solemn smile then formed on her face. "It's interesting really, behind those smiles lies the heartaches of their past hardships. Yet, after being awakened, they are willing to give their second lives a chance, even if it means reliving them."

Natsume remained silent, understanding how it feels to relive old memories of his past. They still hurt him to this day, but he is grateful more than greateful with the new life he has now.

"Well then, we shouldn't pry even longer." The Saniwa rose her head. "You have to head home."

The boy nodded before walking towards the door, Nyanko-sensei jumping onto his shoulder. "Yeah, I'll just walk back to where I came from."

"Don't worry, there is a much faster way for you to get back." Natsume turned around confusingly, watching the Saniwa flip through a book. "You probably wouldn't head back in time before sunset if you talk the usual route." She added before stopping at a page.

After reading the contents of the page, the Lady of the Citadel bit her thumb, drawing blood from it. Natsume stepped aside as he and his companion watched her draw weird symbols on the paper-thin _shogi_ door, wondering what she was about to do next

After finishing, she rose her right palm towards it and started chanting softly, her left holding the book securely. The language was unfamiliar to neither the teenage boy or the cat but as they watched, the pink gem of her necklace started to float, giving of an bright and illuminating glow. Natsume shield his eyes as it glowed bright. However, in a flash, the glow was gone, and the chanting has stopped.

Looking up again, he watched as the Saniwa move her palm away from the door, the symbols she drew earlier are now gone.

"What happened?" Natsume asked confusingly.

" _Baka_ , can't you tell." Nyanko-sensei pinched his face with his paw. "That was a spell she just cast. It may seem a little much, but that is just one of the few basic spells all sages learn."

"Sensei, you sure know a lot about sages." The teen commented.

"Well, when you lives for several centuries, you tend to pick up a fact or two." The demon said boastfully.

"Aright, now all you have to do is think of the place you want to go to, and open the door." The Saniwa explained to them. "This only works once, so do it quick."

"Will it work?" Natsume questioned her, a little skeptical.

The young woman shrugged her shoulders and smiled thinly, stepping aside to allow him to pass through. "I personally never used it, but I have seen others use it before."

 _For what purpose?_ The teen questioned, sweatdropping.

Turning back to the door, Natsume thought of the place he wanted to go back to. He was unsure what I was going to lead to, but he had to trust the Saniwa's word. He closed his eyes, slowly opening the door. When he reopened his eyes, he find himself at the entrance of his home.

 _eh!_ He gasped in shock. He turned to the Saniwa, unable to believe what just occurred.

"I guess it worked." She smiled. "Well, it was nice to be able to meet you."

Natsume, after regaining his composure, grip his bag tightly and bowed toward her. "It was nice to meet you to, and I apologize again."

"Again, he is not." Nyanko-sensei added.

"Sensei!" Then, something else came to his mind. "Oh yeah, I didn't ask you earlier, but what is your name?"

The Saniwa blinked. "My name?" She repeated before replying. "Oh, did I not tell you. My name is Haruakira Sanae."

 _Haruakira Sanae._ Natsume repeated, memorizing it. However, before he could reply, a voice called him from the kitchen.

"Takashi-kun, your back?"

Turning back to front, Natsume started to panic. However, right at that moment, he felt Sanae shove him from behind causing him to fall into his home. He managed to regain his composure but Nyanko-sensei fell of his shoulder, landing on his side. "Ow." He winched.

"Sorry." The Saniwa apologized before closing the door shut.

"oh, wait..."

"Takashi-kun?" Touko called out again, leaning out of the Kitchen, only to find her nephew facing the opened door, facing the outside. "I heard someone at the door. Is anything alright?"

Natsume turned to his aunt, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "It's nothing."

Though unconvinced, Touko smiled sweetly. "Well, welcome home."

"hm, _Tadaima._ " The boy said back, returning the familiar warm smile.

* * *

After dinner, Natsume and Nyanko-sensei quickly went up to their room, discussing about the events that happened today.

"Today is sure something." The cat commented, lazing about on his pillow. "Who would have thought there are so many _Tsukumogami_ in the same place."

Natsume hummed as he drapped his towel around his shoulders. "Well, at least now we know they are not with the exorcist. Though, we still don't know the Saniwa's purpose for bring them to life. In fact, there is still a lot we don't know."

"That lady is a weird one, yeah." Nyanko-sensei commented, turning to face him. "Though, it's safe to say that she isn't doing anything sketchy."

The teen nodded, agreeing with him. However, there was still something stuck in his mind. _'Strangers are friends we haven't met'. It's been a while since I heard that line._

_Kusa-san said she heard it from a friend, Akita said his brother told him that. It's too much of coincidence, is it? Why am I remembering all of this all the sudden._

"oi, your spacing out again." The cat added crudely, jumping on top Natsume's head, shocking the poor boy. "You've been doing that lately, it's scaring me."

Natsume winced and narrowed his eyes. "It's nothing, just remembering something."

"Speaking of remembering, did you check if the Book of Friends is really in your bag?" Nyanko-sensei asked, jumping of him, earning a nod from the teen. "You should check again."

"huh?" Natsume frowned, reaching out for his bag. "I though you said you trust them."

"Just want to make sure." He shrugged.

Unzipping the bag, the teen reached out for the said book before pulling it out. Sure enough, the book was there. "Here, is this enough assurance?"

Nyanko-sensei nodded. "Good, couldn't let it lost again."

Placing the book of friends onto his study table, Natsume looked into the bag again, spotting the book on Japanese swords in it.

 _I don't think I need this anymore_. He thought, taking it out. _I should return it to Sasada-san_. _Then again, she said she has another copy, wouldn't be very nice to pass it back to her._

Unsure what he should do with the book, Natsume's placed it on his table, right on top the Book of Friends. _Maybe I should think about it tomorrow._

_Though, I do feel that wouldn't be I'll final encounter._

* * *

Late at night, the Saniwa sat along the _engawa_ , sipping her cup of tea quietly as she watched the moon and stars solemnly.

 _Natsume Takashi. It's great to able meet you._ She thought.

"Aruji-sama." The young woman turned around after being called, watching the oldest Awataguchi walking towards her.

"Ichigo-san." She greeted with a smile, forwarding him towards her side. "Care for a late night drink."

Ichigo willingly accepted her offer, sitting himself next to her as his master poured a cup for him.

After taking a small sip, the _tachi_ stared at his master as she looked at the sky. She looked sad, as if reminiscing of a old sad memory, yet contented.

"Aruji-sama, if I may ask." He began, gaining her attention as he lowered the tea cup. "Why have you taken such an interest in this Natsume Takashi person."

The Saniwa paused for a moment, placing her cup down before answering. "Well, how do I explained...Ichigo, do you know the feeling when you meet someone for thw first time, yet you felt like you known them forever."

Ichigo smiled softly as he shook his head. "Unfortunately, I don't. But, understand it."

"Well, that's how I feel about him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Question? Theories? Well, I hope I got you on the edge of your seats. Stay tune for the next few chapter if you want to know more. 
> 
> Konnosuke is a bit sassy here, but that how I like to portray him. Do leave a comment on which character (form either fandoms) you would like to see next. Maybe your favorite will show up next. 
> 
> Thank you once again, and see you new time.

**Author's Note:**

> That's it for today's one-shot. Do leave a comment and kudos, it will really make my day. I'm not sure when the next one will be release, but do stay tuned until then.
> 
> Thanks again and see you next time.


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